Tenderly, I Am Devoured is a Gothic fantasy lovers dream. It’s atmospheric, swoony, and full of intrigue. I finished it way earlier than expected because I was captivated. I definitely see the A Study in Drowning comparison, so if you love that book, pick this one up. Keep reading this book review of Tenderly, I Am Devoured for my full thoughts.
Summary
Expelled from her prestigious boarding school following a violent incident, eighteen-year-old Lacrimosa Arriscane returns home in disgrace to discover her family on the point of financial ruin. Desperate to save them, she accepts a marriage of convenience… to Therion, the chthonic god worshipped by Lark’s isolated coastal hometown.
But when her betrothal goes horribly wrong, Lark begins to vanish from the mortal realm. Her only hope is to seek help from Alastair Felimath: the brilliant, arrogant boy who was her first heartbreak, and his alluring older sister, Camille. As the trio delve into the folklore of gods, Lark falls under the spell of the Felimath siblings.
Ensnared by a fervent romance, they perform a bacchanalia with hopes the hedonistic ritual will repair the connection between Lark and her bridegroom. Instead, they draw the ire of something much darker, which seeks to destroy Therion―and Lark as well.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
What could be more bewitching than an engagement with a god, needing help from a rival family, and having to confront our first heartbreak? Tenderly, I Am Devoured begins with running. We all know too well the desire to not speak about something aloud, to not have to confront it. At times reading Tenderly, I Am Devoured my heart broke, the rage crested, and my heart ached. All the pains of love and the things we can do in the name of love, in the name of family, for community. With the Then POV, we witness not only went wrong, but the depth of those feelings, the cliffs from which we fell.
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Tenderly, I Am Devoured explores all the crimes and mistakes made in the name of something else. Do we become hard on someone in the name of love? Do we let ourselves become hardened? All the forces in our lives which want to devour us. Which want to make us into their image, into who they want us to be. At the same time, Tenderly, I Am Devoured is about finding people who see us for who we are, who don’t require us to be someone else. A love which supports us. Tenderly, I Am Devoured is certainly a Gothic book about worship, sacrifice, and the thorns of ambition, but it’s also about love.
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